Concurrent treatment of oral and systemic maladies using direct current electricity

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the concurrent treatment of multiple oral diseases and defects while promoting general oral hygiene utilizing direct current electricity. Electrodes are used to deliver a direct current to the gingival tissues of a mouth in order to achieve a number of therapeutic, prophylactic, and regenerative benefits. These benefits include killing oral microbes, increasing oral vasodilation, reducing oral biofilm, improving oral blood circulation, reversing oral bone resorption, promoting oral osteogenesis, treating gum recession, and fostering gingival regeneration. Other benefits include the treatment of gingivitis, periodontitis, and oral malodor, and other systemic diseases correlated with oral pathogens.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 providing a mouthpiece, said mouthpiece having a first electrode and a second electrode, the first and second electrodes having opposite polarities, the first and second electrodes are coupled to a power source; 
 positioning the mouthpiece such that the first electrode is in electrical contact with at least a portion of the patient's lingual gingival tissue and the second electrode is in electrical contact with at least a portion of the patient's buccal gingival tissue; 
 delivering current from said power source to said gingival tissue according to a predetermined treatment protocol. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein said delivering step further comprises a regulating the current delivered to said gingival tissue. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  further wherein said delivering step further comprises administering at least a portion of the predetermined treatment protocol to a patient in a dental office. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  wherein said delivering step further comprises administering at least a portion of the predetermined treatment protocol to a patient in a dental office prior to a dental procedure. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  wherein said dental procedure is cleaning or prophylaxis. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4  wherein said dental procedure is scaling. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 4  wherein said procedure is root planing. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 2  wherein the current delivered to said gingival tissue is from 50 μA up to and including 500 μA. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 2  wherein the delivering step further comprises delivering current to the gingival tissue for a duration of at least 10 minutes up to and including 30 minutes. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 3  wherein said delivering step further comprises administering at least a portion of the predetermined treatment protocol to a patient in a dental office before or after a dental procedure. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 
 wherein said mouthpiece further comprises a third electrode and a fourth electrode, the third and fourth electrodes having opposite polarities, the third and fourth electrodes being coupled to a power source; and 
 wherein the positioning step further comprises positioning the mouthpiece such that the first electrode is in electrical contact with at least a portion of the patient's mandibular lingual gingival tissue, the second electrode is in electrical contact with at least a portion of the patient's mandibular buccal gingival tissue, the third electrode is in electrical contact with at least a portion of the patient's maxillary lingual gingival tissue, and the fourth electrode is in electrical contact with at least a portion of the patient's maxillary buccal gingival tissue. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 2  further comprising reducing the amount of oral biofilm in said patient. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 1  further comprising reducing oral bacterial to prevent, treat and/or mitigate systemic disease. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 13  further comprising reducing  F. nucleatum  to prevent, treat and/or mitigate cardiovascular disease. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 13  further comprising reducing  F. nucleatum  to prevent still birth. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 13  further comprising reducing  S. oralis  to prevent, treat and/or mitigate diabetes. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 13  further comprising reducing  F. nucleatum  to prevent, treat and/or mitigate pyogenic liver abscess. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 13  further comprising reducing  F. nucleatum  to prevent, treat and/or mitigate osteomyelitis. 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 13  further comprising reducing  F. nucleatum  to prevent, treat and/or mitigate arthritis.